EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen Suggests Lessons from Italy’s Offshore Migrant Processing in Albania as EU Summit on Migration Looms

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has suggested that the bloc could “draw lessons” from Italy’s controversial policy of processing migrants offshore in Albania. In a letter to member states ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, she also proposed new legislation to increase migrant deportations.

Von der Leyen highlighted that the current return rate for irregular migrants is only about 20%, meaning most ordered to leave the EU remain in the bloc. She stressed the need for member states to recognize each other’s return decisions to prevent migrants from exploiting gaps in the system.

Her comments follow Italy’s launch of its Albania migrant processing scheme, where some migrants rescued in the Mediterranean are sent to centers in Albania. The project has sparked criticism from opposition parties and NGOs but is backed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as a bold new approach to migration. The summit will see further discussion on hardening EU migration policy amid growing political pressure across the bloc.